Latest from Arab Times
Arab Times
25 minutes ago
- Politics
- Arab Times
Trump signals willingness to bomb Iran again amid ongoing conflict
WASHINGTON, June 28: US President Donald Trump stated that he would 'absolutely' consider bombing Iran again if intelligence indicated the country was advancing uranium enrichment to concerning levels. Speaking at a White House press briefing, Trump told BBC's Nomia Iqbal that he would 'without question' take military action under such circumstances. The United States became directly involved in the recent Israel-Iran conflict by striking key Iranian nuclear sites with 'bunker buster' bombs last weekend. However, Trump quickly pushed for a ceasefire soon after the attacks. On Thursday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that the strikes had achieved no significant damage, a claim Trump strongly disputed on Friday, asserting that Iran's nuclear facilities had been 'obliterated.' Later that day on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed to know 'EXACTLY' where the ayatollah had been hiding during the conflict. He added that he personally prevented Israeli and US forces from targeting the Iranian leader. It is believed that Khamenei was forced into hiding throughout the two-week war between Israel and Iran. All sides in the conflict have claimed victory. The ayatollah assured Iranians that Israel and its allies had failed to disrupt Iran's nuclear program. Nevertheless, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged that 'excessive and serious' damage had been inflicted on Iran's nuclear sites due to recent US and Israeli bombings. In response to Khamenei's remarks, Trump reiterated his stance that Iran had been 'decimated,' questioning why the Supreme Leader would falsely claim victory. Trump also revealed he had been 'working on the possible removal of sanctions' against Iran but halted all progress after the ayatollah's statement, which he described as full of 'anger, hatred, and disgust.' Iran continues to assert that its nuclear program is strictly for civilian purposes. The latest hostilities began when Israel attacked Iranian nuclear and military facilities, killing several nuclear scientists and military officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that 'if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time.' According to CBS News, the White House has considered multiple strategies to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, including funding a civilian, non-enrichment nuclear program. However, Iran has denied plans to resume talks with the US, contradicting Trump's recent statement at a NATO summit in The Hague that negotiations would restart next week. Iran's health ministry reported 610 deaths during the 12 days of air strikes, while Israeli officials confirmed 28 fatalities in Israel.
Arab Times
41 minutes ago
- Business
- Arab Times
Air India fires executives after party video sparks outrage post-crash
NEW DELHI, India, June 28: Four senior executives at Air India SATS (AISATS) have been asked to step down after a video of an office party went viral, drawing widespread condemnation. The controversy erupted just days after the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 on June 12, 2025, which claimed 270 lives and plunged the nation into mourning. The video, widely shared on social media, showed AISATS Chief Operating Officer Abraham Zachariah and several other employees dancing to loud music during a celebration at the company's Gurugram office. The timing of the event, so soon after one of India's most devastating aviation disasters, was criticized as highly inappropriate and lacking compassion. Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed shortly after takeoff, striking a hostel at Ahmedabad's BJ Medical College. Of the 260 people onboard, only one passenger survived. As grieving families awaited the return of their loved ones' remains, the video prompted a wave of outrage online, with many accusing the company of insensitivity and poor judgment. In response to the backlash, AISATS released an official statement: "At AISATS, we stand in solidarity with the families affected by the tragic loss of AI171 and deeply regret the lapse in judgment reflected in a recent internal video. The behaviour does not align with our values, and firm disciplinary action has been taken against those responsible as we reaffirm our commitment to empathy, professionalism, and accountability." While the company did not confirm the exact date of the party, sources stated that four senior employees were dismissed for their involvement in organizing the event. AISATS is a joint venture between Air India—now under the ownership of the Tata Group—and Singapore-based SATS Ltd., a prominent global provider of airport services.
Arab Times
41 minutes ago
- Climate
- Arab Times
China continues blue alert for rainstorms
BEIJING, June 28, (Xinhua): China's meteorological authority on Saturday continued a blue alert for rainstorms in the country's multiple regions. From 8:00 a.m. Saturday to 8:00 am Sunday, heavy rains and rainstorms are forecast to hit parts of the provincial-level regions of Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Zhejiang, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong and Heilongjiang, the National Meteorological Center said. North parts of Jiangsu are expected to experience torrential rains, with precipitation up to 150 mm, the center added. The center has advised local authorities to take precautions for heavy rainstorms, and suggested that necessary drainage measures should be taken in urban areas and across farmlands. China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Arab Times
41 minutes ago
- Climate
- Arab Times
6.1-magnitude offshore earthquake hits southern Philippines
MANILA, June 28, (Xinhua): An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 hit waters off the southern Philippines on Saturday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said. The institute said the quake, which occurred at 7:07 a.m. local time (2307 GMT), hit at a depth of 79 km, about 85 km southeast of Sarangani town in Davao Occidental province. The institute said the tectonic quake is expected to trigger aftershocks but does not pose a tsunami threat. There is no report of casualties or damage. The archipelagic Philippines has frequent seismic activities due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire."
Arab Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Arab Times
Trump calls presidency 'a very dangerous profession' after Supreme Court win
WASHINGTON, June 28, (Xinhua): US President Donald Trump on Friday called being president a "very dangerous profession," suggesting that he might not have run if he had known. He made the comments during a White House press conference held to celebrate the U.S Supreme Court's decision to curb the power of federal judges to impose nationwide rulings that block his policies, handing him a major victory. When asked by a reporter about threats to his life, Trump said that he is occasionally reminded of the time he was grazed by a bullet at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. "You have race car drivers as an example, one-tenth of 1 percent die. Bull riders, one-tenth of 1 percent. That's not a lot, but it's -- people die. When you're president, it's about 5 percent. If somebody would have told me that, maybe I wouldn't have run. Okay? This is, this is a very dangerous profession," he said. In a 6-3 vote along ideological lines, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that district judges lack the authority to grant nationwide injunctions against the Trump administration's executive order to effectively end birthright citizenship.
